City, who have built up a goal dif­fer­ence of plus 20 dur­ing a stun­ning start to the cam­paign, host Stoke City with striker Ser­gio Aguero pos­si­bly in con­tention for a squad place af­ter re­cov­er­ing from in­jur­ing his ribs in a car ac­ci­dent last month.

Tot­ten­ham Hot­spur, in third place, will at­tempt to lay their Wem­b­ley jinx in the league at the fourth time of ask­ing as they host Bournemouth, while fourth-placed cham­pi­ons Chelsea, beaten by City be­fore the in­ter­na­tional break, visit Crys­tal Palace.

Fifth-placed Ar­se­nal are at Wat­ford, while Burn­ley, the sur­prise pack­age so far in sixth, will fancy their chances of suc­cess when they tackle West Ham United at Turf Moor.

Ever­ton’s Ronald Koe­man is favourite to be the next man­age­rial ca­su­alty af­ter his side’s woe­ful start.